Please use this topic to discuss NASA's and Orbital ATK's development of an advanced composite booster for the Space Launch System (SLS).

cspgMember

Posts: 4924From: Geneva, SwitzerlandRegistered: May 2006

posted 02-18-2015 05:07 AM
How does this differ (or not) from the planned filament-wound boosters that were planned for the space shuttle and abandoned after Challenger/STS-51L?

Jim BehlingMember

Posts: 762From: Cape Canaveral, FLRegistered: Mar 2010

posted 02-18-2015 06:23 AM
I believe the total length is longer and there are fewer segments.

garymilgromMember

Posts: 1848From: Atlanta, GA, USARegistered: Feb 2007

posted 02-18-2015 04:12 PM
I thought this was called a 5-segment booster? (I believe the shuttle's SRB's had only 4). Maybe I am not understanding it well.

Robert PearlmanEditor

Posts: 31626From: Houston, TXRegistered: Nov 1999

posted 02-18-2015 04:42 PM
The initial 70-metric-ton SLS will use two five-segment solid rocket boosters similar to the boosters that powered the space shuttle.

An evolved 130-metric-ton SLS will require an advanced booster with more thrust than any existing U.S. liquid- or solid-fueled boosters.

To that end, NASA has contracted with four companies to study an advanced booster for the future version of the SLS. Orbital ATK, as one of these companies, is advancing its composite motors as its proposal for the advanced booster.